Cup and saucer



C. D. SMITH CUP AND SAUCER Nov. 14, 1961 Filed April 5. 1959 United States Patent 3,008,600 CUP AND SAUCER Cyrus D. Smith, 2218 30th St. S., St. Petersburg, Fla. Filed Apr. 3, 1959, Ser. No. 804,035 1 Claim. (Cl. 220-23.83)

This invention pertains generally to cups and saucers, and more specifically, to cups and saucers constructed and assembled in such manner as to preclude the possibility of uids which may, by accident or inadvertence, be introduced into the saucer lfrom adhering to the base of the cup when the cup is removed from the saucer and subsequently dripping on or spilling on the users clothing or an adjoining area such as a tablecloth. This objective is lachieved through the unique formation of the cup and saucer which places their respective structural elements in such relationship to one another as to render impossible the aforementioned adherence or drippage of uid.

An additional object of the instant invention resides in the formation of a cup and saucer wherein the base of the cup lis held wholly in spaced relation to those portions of the saucer which may retain fluids, thereby avoiding contact between any fluids finding their way into the saucer and the base of the cup.

Another object and advantage of the present invention is that cups and saucers constructed under the teachings thereof may be readily stacked.

It has been previously known to provide cup and saucer assemblies for the purpose of obviating the objectional feature of coffee, or the like, being transferred out of the saucer by adherence to the base of the cup. Various constructions have been proposed by the prior art to meet this objective, and the present invention departs from the previously known constructions in several material and important respects. Among these departures is the formation of the saucer to support the base of the cup in such position that there is no possibility of the cup contacting fluids retained in the saucer, and to do this without unduly complicating the formation of the saucers and cups so that la plurality of the same may be nested together, respectively, and thereby readily stacked. Unduly complicated constructions are also objectionable from the standpoint of sanitation.

An Aadditional object which is related to the foregoing, is to provide a cup and saucer of such construction that, even in the unlikely event that the saucer should become illed with liquid to such an extent that the bottom of the cup cornes into contact therewith, the construction of the cup is such that there will be a tendency for the liquid to remain in the saucer when the cup is removed rather than adhering thereto. This advantage is occasioned by the spacing of the outer rim of the cup outwardly from, and wholly clear of the adjacent portions of the saucer.

Another object of this invention is to provide a saucer having an opening formed substantially at its center which renders it easily stackable, and which makes it easy to grasp during cleaning. The provision of the central open portion in the saucer which is occasioned -fwby reason of the construction suggested by this invention also results in -a savings of material during the manufacture of the saucers.

Among the additional objects and advantages of this invention is the provision of a cup and saucer of the type generally described supra, the cup and saucer being noncomplex in construction and assembly, inexpensive to manufacture, and durable in use.

Other and further objects and advantages of the instant invention will become more readily apparent from a consideration of the following specification when read in conjunction with the annexed drawing, which:

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FIGURE l is a perspective view of a cup land saucer constructed |and assembled in accordance with the teachings of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view thereof taken substantially on the vertical plane of line 2-2 of FIGURE l, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan View of the saucer in diminished scale;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary View of a plurality of the saucers shown in stacked relation relative to each other; and

FIGURE 5 illustrates, fragmentarily, the stacking of the cups relative to each other.

The cup and saucer of this invention are denoted generally by the reference numerals 10 land 12, respectively. 'I'he saucer 12 is seen to comprise a concaveconvex annular member 13 encompassing an opening 14 and having at its inner diameter -an upwardly and inwardly converging cylindrical ange 13 forming a circular base to support the cup 10, as will be set forth more specifically below. For purposes to be made more clear -as this speoilication progresses, the flange 16 is provided with opposed sides 18, 20 and an upper outer end 22. The annular member 13 is integrally connected, preferably with the lower end of the ange 16 at 24 to form support means for the saucer.

The cup 10 comprises a generally frusto-conical receptacle 2S having `an upper rim 26, side wall 27, a handle 28, and a depending lower rim 30. The cup 10 also includes a substantially flat base 32 Which is spaced inwardly of the lower rim 30. The base 32 has a second depending rim 34 spaced concentrically inwardly from the rim 30 and as seen in FIGURE 2, the lower edge of the rim 30 occupies a plane below that of the lower edge of the rim 34.

As is seen in FIGURE 2, there is formed a circular depression or conoavity 36 which extends between the rims 34 and 30'. The depression 36 may be arbitrarily divided i-nto a side 38 of the rim 34, and a confronting and merging side 40 of the rim 30. The depression 36 receives the flange 16 of the saucer 12, Aand it is important to note that the side 38 contacts the outer side 20 of the liange 16, thus leaving a space of substantial width between the lowerrnost sections of the cup and the inner portions of the saucer. In other words, the cup is supported wholly outside of the material containing portions of the saucer.

It will therefore readily be seen that the base of the cup 10 does not directly contact the portions of the saucer 12 which may retain spilled liquid. It will also be `apparent that the side wall 27 of the cup 10 is of such formation that there will be a tendency for any liquid whic may be spilled over the edges of the rim 26 to gravitate toward the rim 30 and -to drip into the saucer 12.

In the unlikely event that a large amount of liquid ills the saucer to such depth as to cause it to contact the rim 30 when the cup 10` is rested on the saucer, the angularity of the side 40 in the adjacent portion of the wall 27, coupled with the `inherent surface tension of the aforesaid liquid creates a tendency on the part of the liquid to remain in the saucer when the cup is removed therefrom rather than being carried by the cup to subsequently drip on the users clothing or other areas.

FIGURES 4 and 5 illustrate the adaptability of the cup 10 and saucer 12 to be individually stacked. The fact that the saucers 12 are each provided with central openings 14 render it possible for the user to easily and safely lift several of the saucers that are stacked at one time by merely placing the fingers within the coaligned openings, The particular formation of both the cups and the saucers is seen to be such that they are readily adaptable to indi- 2 f3 vidual stacking, and the chances of the stacks being displaced accidentally are lessened by the construction suplplied. In the case of the cup, this resides in the fact that the rims 26 are received in the depression 36 of the next adjacent one thereof; while the anges i6 ofthe saucers 12 are received in the openings 14 when stacked.

Having described and illustrated a single embodiment of this invention in complete detail, it is to be understood that this illustration is offered merely by Way of example,

and that this invention is to be limited in scope only by i the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

In a cup and saucer; a saucer which includes an upstanding, annular ange, defining a central opening therein, said flange having inner and outer sides; and a cup, the cup including a base and side Wall, and `an upper rimon the side wall, the upper rim being of substantially equal diameter to the diameter of the annular ange; a depending, annular outer support rim on said base, said outer support rim including a smooth inclined linner Wall, a concentric depending, annular inner support rim on the base, said outer support rim being of greater depth than said inner support rim, said inner support rim, having a smooth, inclined inner Wall which merges with the inclined inner wall of the outer support rim, said inner support rim being spaced inwardly `of said outer support rim and having an inner wall engaging against the inner side of the flange of the saucer to thereby support the cup thereon in such manner that the outer rim is held in spaced-apart relationship with respect to the saucer, and the cup being adapted for stacking with similar cups with the upper rims seated between the inner and outer support rims.

References Cited in the le of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 178,147 Germany Nov. 10, 1906 14,874 Great Britain June 21, 1915 430,582 Great Britain .lune 21, 1915 411,142 Great Britain June 1, 1934 

